ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A Gulf Warfare Military veteran convicted of the shotgun slayings of his girlfriend and her three kids has been scheduled for execution in Florida, the fourth demise warrant signed this yr by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Jeffrey Hutchinson, 59, is ready to die by deadly injection Could 1 at Florida State Jail close to the town of Starke. DeSantis, a Republican, signed the demise warrant Monday evening.
On the evening of Sept. 11, 1998, within the panhandle city of Crestview, Florida, Hutchinson had an argument along with his girlfriend, Renee Flaherty, and left to go to a bar, courtroom information present. A bartender recalled that Hutchinson made remarks about their argument, drank some beer after which left abruptly.
About 40 minutes later, investigators stated, there was a name to 911 from Hutchinson’s dwelling during which somebody later recognized as him stated, “I simply shot my household.” Police arrived to search out Flaherty, 32, and her three younger kids — Geoffrey, 9; Amanda, 7; and Logan, 4 — lifeless from shotgun wounds.
Hutchinson was discovered sitting within the storage with a cellphone in his hand, nonetheless linked to the 911 operator, the courtroom information present. The homicide weapon, a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun, was discovered on a kitchen counter, and police say Hutchinson had gunshot residue on his arms.
The Florida Supreme Court docket in 2022 rejected Hutchinson’s appeals, which claimed new proof had surfaced that would exonerate him. After his sentencing, Hutchinson stated in courtroom that he didn’t kill anybody.
“I didn’t kill Renee and the children and I consider I used to be framed,” he stated.
The decide’s sentencing order famous that Hutchinson served eight years within the Military, together with within the Gulf Warfare, and that he had been recognized with Gulf Warfare Sickness, which produces a spread of issues together with ache, reminiscence loss and insomnia.
Two different executions have taken place in Florida this yr, with a 3rd upcoming in April. All are by deadly injection.
On March 20, 63-year-old Edward James was executed for killing an 8-year-old woman and her grandmother in 1993. James Dennis Ford, 64, was put to demise Feb. 13 for the 1997 slayings of a married couple whereas out on a fishing journey.
A 3rd inmate, 48-year-old Michael Tanzi, is scheduled to die by deadly injection April 8 for the kidnapping and homicide of a girl within the Florida Keys in 2000.
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